An Investment in Love
by Ashabee
Summary: Calzona taking place after 6.08. Arizona and Callie just took their relationship to the next level, but what happens when an unexpected visitor returns. Can they survive the pressure? Chapter 16 up.
1. Chapter 1

Arizona walked up the stairs to Callie's apartment. It had been a long day; one of her patients died under her scalpel on his birthday, she had picked a fight with her girlfriend to make herself feel better, and she started crying during her surprise birthday party.

When she reached the door she unlocked it quietly and tip-toed across the living room, only to find her lover fast asleep on the couch. The sight of the Latina beauty, dressed in black lacy lingerie, her dark hair cascading over the pillow, caused a small smile to creep across Arizona's face.

Arizona tried not to disrupt Calliope's peaceful slumber, but the clanking of the keys against the end table did just that. Callie's eyes slowly opened.

"Oh," she said groggily, quickly turning to peppy, "I'm awake! I'm, I'm, I'm, see? I'm totally awake! There's hats and gifts and, and, donuts and lingerie." She said mischievously, while placing a red party hat on her head, hastily followed by an attempt to blow into the traditional birthday, paper horns.

The laughing smile turned into a face of seriousness. Arizona watched her girlfriend frantically try to redeem herself.

"I love you," slipped from the blonde's lips. The three words stopped all of Callie's movements, her eyes immediately glossed with tears. Her apologetic smile slowly slipped away as her arms began to fall to her sides. She never let her stare leave Arizona's deep blue eyes.

"You do?"

Arizona nodded, whispering "I do."

Callie was silent. The couple continued to stare at each other, waiting for what was bound to come. It was just up to Callie to regain the ability to speak.

She stood up and walked over to the blonde, enveloping her in a hug. Arizona rested her head in the crook of Callie's neck, as the Latina ran her fingers through Arizona's hair.

"I love you too," she whispered.

Arizona smiled as she held onto her lover. Hearing those words from someone who actually meant it was more than she wanted for her birthday.

The two stood in their position for a while, swaying to a silent melody. Callie continued to run her fingers through Arizona's hair; she could feel the blonde's eyes closing as Arizona's eyelashes brushed against her neck.

"I love you," Callie repeated, this time with a smile, "I love you."

Arizona laughed, picking up her head to look Callie in the face. She leaned in to catch Callie's lips with her own. Callie returned the gesture by deepening the kiss just before pulling away with a smile that mirrored Arizona's.

In response, Arizona pulled herself closer to Callie, eliminating all space in between them. She moved her lips about an inch from Callie's, teasing her a little bit before closing the gap. Callie parted her lips, allowing Arizona's tongue to slip into her mouth.

Their tongues dueled for dominance while Callie gently pushed off Arizona's jacket, throwing it onto the couch. Arizona maneuvered them towards Callie's bedroom, pressing her body against Callie's, and Callie's against the closed door. A small moan escaped from the Latina. She reached down to open the door, allowing the couple to move into the new room before Christina walked in on them.

The door was shut quietly, the two never breaking apart for a moment. The couple took turns removing pieces of clothing from each other, throwing them everywhere and anywhere in the small bedroom. Arizona sat down on the bed, pulling Callie with her, but quickly flipped her over so that she was on top. The make-out session continued, their hands roaming over the naked skin, the soft touch of their finger tips making each instant more and more passionate.

Callie took control, turning over so she was on top. She broke away for a moment to look into Arizona's eyes. The girls were panting; sweat was beginning to glisten on their bodies. The sight of the blonde under her took Cal's breath away.

"You're great," she paused, thinking about the words of encouragement she was supposed to give earlier that day, "Like, really, really, great."

Arizona smiled, placing a hand on Calliope's cheek. She gently guided Cal's face closer so Arizona could capture her lips once more.

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**Thank you for reading, if think I should continue please let me know. I do not own anything.**


	2. Chapter 2

The sun was starting to rise, casting a light through the only window in the small bedroom. The golden light revealed a sleeping couple tangled in sheets. The dim rays were bright enough to wake the taller girl. She squinted in the light, stretching carefully. She did not want to wake the girl next to her. It was a rare occasion; both surgeons had the day off, and Arizona could use the sleep.

As Callie looked down at the blonde she couldn't help but smile. Her partner had made sure to leave no room between the two of them as she wrapped her legs around Callie's. Arizona's head rested on Cal's chest while her arm draped around Callie's waist. The sheet had fallen short on Arizona's body, revealing her chest completely. Callie wasn't complaining, but she knew Arizona would have been embarrassed. Careful not to disturb her, Cal reached down and covered her.

These kinds of moments were Callie's favorite. She loved being this close to her girlfriend; it made her feel safe, content, and loved. No matter how hard she tried, Callie could not remember a time when she was this happy. No man, or woman, could replace Arizona.

Instinctively, Callie began to run her fingers through Arizona's soft, blonde, locks. The rhythmic motion of her movements began to put Callie to sleep. She rested her head against Arizona's, taking in the soft scent of her strawberry shampoo.

On the brink of slumber, Callie felt Arizona's breathing change; she knew the blonde was waking up. Callie forced her eyes open and stopped running her hand through her lover's hair.

"Good morning, Arizona," Callie said, her voice evident of a smile.

Arizona lifted her head, resting her chin on Callie's chest, her eye's small slits as she adjusted to the light.

"Good morning, Calliope," grogginess dwelling in her voice.

"How did you sleep?"

"Mhm," Arizona giggled, "Like a rock."

Callie grinned mischievously, "Oh yeah?"

Arizona just nodded in response.

Leaning forward, Callie placed a kiss on Arizona's forehead, "Did you have a good birthday?"

Arizona laid her head back down on Callie's chest. She began stroking the skin just above Cal's hip bone with her thumb.

"The best ever," she whispered.

Callie smiled. "I'm glad," she whispered back as she gently pulled Arizona up to her level. The Latina turned on her side to face her girlfriend. She leaned in, kissing Arizona tenderly. Arizona looped her arms around Callie's neck, deepening the kiss. Callie ran her fingers down her lover's back slowly, tantalizingly. Soft whimpers escaped from Arizona, filling Callie's mouth. The Latina's hand slid down the blonde's thigh, forming a path towards her core.

Suddenly, the bedroom door flew open. The girls shot apart, grasping the sheet to make sure nothing was revealed. A stunned Christina stood in the doorway.

"Uhm, well, uhm. Someone just called for you, Callie. Do you want me to take a message?"

"Yes. Please," Callie responded. Awkwardly, Christina turned to leave, but before completely out of sight, she came back to continue the conversation.

"You know Arizona; I didn't even know you were here. You were really quiet coming in last night, I-"

"Yang! Leave!" Callie said; a slight hint of panic existing in her voice.

"Right," this time Christina left, shutting the door behind her.

Callie flew back, hands covering her face. A deep laugh escaped her lips as she shook her head. Arizona followed suit.

"Well, since that moment is completely ruined," sarcasm laced in Cal's voice, "Want to go grab a bite to eat? You can tell me about what happened yesterday."

Arizona halfheartedly smiled. She knew Callie was trying and she knew Cal felt a little responsible for yesterday's troubles; but she did not want to even think about what happened at Seattle Grace. It was too painful.

"Yeah, let's go to the diner. But I would rather not talk about what happened," Arizona's muttered. Her smile began to fade into nothing, a dark look of torment taking over. The shadows that mocked her girlfriend's bright smile broke Cal's heart. She could not stand seeing pain in Arizona's eyes.

"Hey," Callie said quietly, bringing Arizona into her hold. She rocked her girlfriend gently, "I got you, babe. We won't talk about anything but the blueberry pancakes and caramel coffee. Okay?"

Arizona's smile came back, as she lovingly squeezed the arms that held her so securely. She leaned up to kiss Cal's lips just before breaking out of her hold. She walked into the bathroom that conjoined Yang's room with Callie's, but this time locking Yang's door.

"Hey, Arizona?"

Arizona turned around, "Yeah?"

"I love you," Callie said.

Arizona smiled, "I love you too."

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**I have an idea on where I want this to go, but suggestions would be lovely. I will try to incorporate you're ideas into the story. Thanks for reading, and reviews would be awesome! **

**Again, I own nothing.  
**


	3. Chapter 3

The couple walked from the diner, hand in hand. A peaceful silence had fallen between them as the passed through the crisp, autumn weather. For once, the sun was shining on the West Coast city; they enjoyed the weather along with each other's company. A conversation was not always necessary for the couple; they could always sense what the other was thinking without actually saying it. However, Arizona was the first to break the silence.

"So Calliope," she said in a sing-songy voice, "Do you want to stay at my place tonight? That way, we can avoid another mishap like the one this morning," she finished her statement with a grin.

"What? You didn't like Yang ruining the moment?" Callie said, mimicking Arizona's smile.

"Well, I was okay with the interruption. I was ready to get out of bed. But I was more worried about you," she looked up at Callie at the end of her statement, knowing it would get a stir out of the younger girl.

"Oh. Ouch. I see how it is," the Latina laughed sarcastically, "Well; maybe I don't want to spend the night with you at all. Because you know," she faked a yawn, covering her mouth to add to the effect, "I'm kind of tired."

Arizona laughed, letting go of Callie's hand and instead, clinging to her arm.

"I'm just kidding," she said, reaching up to kiss Callie on the cheek.

"I know," Cal responded, the grin never leaving her face, "And that way we can get all of your gifts out of my place and into yours."

Arizona nodded, still holding on to Callie's arm.

"You're still going to Joe's with me tonight, right?" Callie asked.

"If you still want me to, then yes."

"Okay," Callie responded, smiling both at Arizona and the irony of Meredith's welcoming-back-from-a-liver-donation-party being held at a bar.

The couple continued to walk past shops, occasionally stopping to look in at the jewelry and other delicate items inside. They ooh-ed and awe-d while taking mental notes on what would make great Christmas gifts; Arizona knew topaz would suit Callie; the Latina knew sapphire was best for the blonde.

After several stop, the couple's jewelry window-shopping eventually ended up at the front of Seattle Grace Hospital.

"Ugh," Callie groaned, "Why can't we ever avoid this place?"

"Well, you do live directly across from it," Arizona replied.

"Well, maybe I should move," Callie said, looking down to see her girlfriend's response. Arizona's face lit up.

"Well, maybe you should."

Callie smiled at the response; it was the one she was hoping for. Callie opened her mouth, prepared to verbalize the thought of them moving in together, when she noticed an all too familiar red Honda Civic parked outside the hospital.

Her smile melted into a look of shock.

"It can't be," she said almost inaudibly. Her movements were completely halted, bringing the couple to complete stop. She stared at the car, hoping some sort of answer would come of it. Her concentration caused her to ignore the voice of the blonde next to her.

"Cal?"

"Babe, what's wrong?"

"Calliope,"

Arizona reached up softly, tugging Callie's face so she could look her in the eye, forcing Cal's train of thought to focus on her girlfriend. Arizona looked worried as she kept her hand on Callie's check.

"Are you okay?" She asked one more time.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Callie responded, "I just zoned out for a second."

Arizona did not completely believe her. She knew something was bothering her, but she knew better than to pry. Callie would talk when she was ready.

"Okay," she said, caving-in. Arizona laced her fingers with Callie's, gently pulling her across the street.

The couple continued their walk back to Callie's apartment to get Arizona's gifts and Callie's clothes for tomorrow. As they passed Seattle Grace, Callie could not help but look over her shoulder at the Civic.

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**I know its short... and not as good... but the next one will be better, I swear. Reviews are great, and ideas are appreciated.**


	4. Chapter 4

The couple walked towards Joe's bar. They stood close, their hands shoved deep in their pockets. The sweet breeze from earlier had become chilled. Callie knew they should have taken her car, but Arizona insisted on walking; the blonde enjoyed nights like this.

They entered the tavern to see a few stragglers sitting at the bar and the party of surgeons taking up the three center tables. The girls removed their jackets, throwing them on the table where everyone else's was. After retrieving two beers from the bar, the couple took their sets at the table.

It was a nice scene; for once, everyone was happily coupled. Meredith had Derek, Christina had Owen, Mark had Lexie, and Callie had Arizona.

As the couple sat down, Derek sprung on Arizona.

"I heard about the twenty-five million you got for the hospital; I over heard Chief talking to Bailey. How did you manage that?"

Unconsciously, Sloan, Hunt, Yang, and Little Grey took a gulp from their drinks. Meredith observed the situation with confusion while Derek became embarrassed; he immediately knew it was the wrong thing to say based on everyone else's reaction. Callie looked over at her girlfriend, just watching for the response. No one knew what to expect from Arizona; not even Cal. The blonde's eyes filled with tears while she did everything she could to keep them from falling.

"I, um," she cleared her throat, "The donor's son was my patient. They felt I took good care of Wallace."

She finished as Callie reached for Arizona's hand under the table squeezing it, showing her strong support in a simple gesture. Arizona grasped Cal's hand, not letting go.

"She did," Lexie spoke up, "She was very personal. She let him report rounds with her and spent a lot of her time with him. It was really cute."

Following the completion of Lexie's statement, an awkward silence fell between the eight surgeons. No one really knew what to do or what to say.

"How about a game of darts?" Sloan asked the guys.

Without hesitating, Owen and Derek stood up, grabbing their drinks. The three guys walked to the dart board, having no trouble leaving the girls to gossip.

After the men left the women continued to discuss the latest stories from the hospital: the merger, Karev nursing a baby back to health by using the "Kangaroo Hold", and the return of an old surgeon.

"Derek told me we would have a new cardio attending starting tomorrow," Meredith began to ask, "any idea who it is?"

"I don't," Callie said, shrugging her shoulders for effect.

"I heard it's someone who used to work for Seattle Grace," Christina said.

"So… Burke, Dixon, or Hahn?" Meredith asked.

"Correct," Yang replied taking a sip from her beer.

Callie went stiff as a chill ran down her spine; hearing that name after seeing the car only confirmed what she prayed wouldn't be true. As the conversation continued, Arizona was the only one to notice the change in Cal's behavior.

"Personally, I hope it is Burke. I would love to con Owen into kicking his ass," Yang said smugly, Lexie, Meredith and Arizona laughing at her response, "and I really hope it's not Dixon. The woman was socially challenged," the three girls continued to laugh.

Inspired by her new sense of humor, Yang tried a stab at the last option.

"And I wouldn't mind Hahn this time around; I probably could show her up by now."

At that, Callie stood up, "I… um… I'll be right back."

Cal walked into the bathroom, letting the door slam behind her. She leaned over the sink watching the water run. Her face was on fire and she felt nauseous. Hot tears ran down her cheeks as they splashed into the water below. The running sink covered the sound of the door opening and closing again.

"Well…This is a familiar scene," Arizona said in a simple calm voice. Yet the sudden company startled the crying girl. She turned around facing the blonde, still allowing the sink to support her weight. Arizona stepped closer, eliminating the space in between them. She reached behind her girlfriend to turn off the water, resting her hands on either side of the Latina's waist.

"Calliope, are you okay?" Callie nodded in response.

A frown formed on Arizona's face, "You're lying," she whispered.

"I'm sorry," Callie whispered sincerely as Arizona wrapped her in a hug. She knew Erica Hahn was the reason Calliope was upset.

"Do you want to go home? I'll call a cab," Arizona offered. Callie nodded.

"I'll grab our stuff. I'll let everyone know you aren't feeling good, alright? Just wait outside," Arizona kissed Callie's forehead, bringing a small smile to the Latina's face.

"That's what I want to see," Arizona said, wiping Cal's tears away.

The couple walked out of the bathroom, going their separate ways. As Arizona made her way back to the table, she saw the girls sitting uncomfortably.

"Is she okay?" Lexie asked.

"Yeah, she'll be fine. We are going to go though; she doesn't feel so well. We will see you tomorrow. Glad you're coming back, Meredith. Thanks for having us," Arizona said with a smile. She gathered her and Callie's jackets, and placed fifteen dollars on the table to cover her and Cal's drinks. She turned around and walked towards the door.

Once Arizona was out of sight, Meredith backhanded Yang's arm.

"Ouch?" Yang said, confused by the action.

"Really, Yang? Bringing up an ex in front of a current? Talk about socially challenged," Lexie said, embarrassed about the whole scenario.

"I didn't think it was that touchy of a subject," Yang muttered, picking up her drink, the other two shaking their heads. The girls got up and joined their boyfriends at the dart board.

Outside, Arizona approached Callie, wrapping her jacket around the girls shoulders.

"The cab should be here soon," the blonde stated. Cal kept staring off into the distance, not really acknowledging her girlfriends presence. Arizona sighed as she waited next to Callie for the cab.

About five minutes passed before the yellow cab pulled up. The couple piled in as Arizona uttered her address. Still Callie had said nothing. Arizona was becoming frustrated. She couldn't handle the silent treatment very well; she never could. Her mouth opened, prepared to scold Callie for not talking when the blonde felt a pressure on her shoulder. Looking over, she realized Cal had leaned over, bridging the gap between them. The blonde almost felt guilty for her frustration.

Arizona wrapped her arm around Callie's shoulder, pulling her closer. The Latina closed her eyes, enjoying the comfort her girlfriend offered. The couple didn't move from that position the whole ride.

The taxi pulled up to Arizona's townhouse where Callie's Firebird sat behind Arizona's Jeep Liberty. Arizona paid for the cab as Callie unlocked the apartment door. She held it open, waiting for the blonde.

The couple got ready for bed together, neither saying a word. Together, they crawled into bed, facing opposite directions, a large space in between them. The frustration had returned to Arizona; she wanted to know exactly why the returning doctor had such and affect on her girlfriend. The thought kept running through her mind, over and over.

The blonde was almost asleep when she felt Callie roll over and press her body against Arizona's. Cal wrapped her arm around her girlfriend's waist.

"I love you," the Latina whispered into her girlfriend's ear.

"I love you too," Arizona whispered back.

The couple fell asleep in their position as they tried to sleep away the fear of what would come tomorrow.

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**Sorry for the delay, it was a crazy combination of Call of Duty MW2, my birthday, and a huge chem quiz. And sorry if anyone managed to catch the first version of this chapter; I blanked on who Dixon was majorly. I will try to be better with the next chapter in both content and time.**

**As always, reviews and suggestions are much appreciated!**

*****Edit: Thanks for correcting me R and kerigan_smh****. I even knew that... I don't know why I didn't remember it... haha. Oops! And thanks yurface9311 for wishing me a happy B-day!  
**


	5. Chapter 5

The wake up call was not as forgiving as the sun was the morning before. The alarm clock on the night stand next to the sleeping couple screamed a high pitched beep. Arizona reached over to turn it off when she felt a tug around her stomach. After putting an end to the wretched noise, the blonde turned around to face her captor.

"Cal," she said softly, shaking her girlfriend.

"Calliope," Arizona said with the same tone. She knew Callie didn't get much sleep the night before. Usually, it wasn't this difficult to wake up the girl.

"Babe."

"Hmm?" Callie grunted.

"You have to work this morning," Arizona smiled.

"Oh. Yeah," Callie didn't move from her position.

"That means you have to get up!" Arizona declared, yanking the blankets off of the sleeping beauty. The blonde walked out into the kitchen to start the coffee.

"That wasn't very nice," Callie mumbled, causing Arizona to giggle.

Callie made the bed while Arizona made breakfast. Arizona poured a cup of coffee for her girlfriend, mixing in the perfect amount of cream and sugar. A simple fruit salad was mixed and dished out into two bowls. Callie walked out of the bedroom and took a seat at the breakfast bar next to her girlfriend.

"Thanks,"

"You're welcome," Arizona said, not looking away from her sudoku puzzle.

The couple ate in silence, a sense of awkwardness settling between them. They both knew why, but neither wanted to bring it up. However, Callie realized she had to.

"Babe," she started, resting her hand on Arizona's thigh, "About last night. It's just. It's Erica," Callie paused, "She gets under my skin. She left without even saying goodbye. And I HATE the fact she thinks she can just come back after everything that happened, like it was no big deal. I'm sorry."

Arizona didn't really know how to take what was said, but she knew Cal was trying. The blonde set down her newspaper and turned towards Callie.

"I know. I understand."

"Really?"

Arizona just smiled in return, leaning into kiss Cal's lips softly.

"Really," Arizona said after, even though she didn't really know.

Callie leaned back in to kiss Arizona again. The kiss was short but was full of passion. Callie slipped her tongue into Arizona's mouth, teasing the blonde. Before Arizona could realize what happened, Callie was already picking up the dishes.

Arizona's cheeks were red; she knew Callie enjoyed flustering her. Arizona tried to shake it off as she walked to the sink, taking the dishes out of Callie's hands.

"You can shower first. I'll take care of the kitchen," Arizona told Callie.

"You know, it is more economical to shower together. It saves water," Cal said with a devilish grin. Arizona shook her head in response.

"Suit yourself," the Latina said, turning around. She walked towards the bathroom, taking of her shirt and shorts along the way. She dropped them as she took them off.

"Last chance!" Cal shouted from the bathroom.

Arizona knew better; she knew they would be late if she went along with Callie's fantasy.

As if Cal could read her girlfriend's mind, a lacy black bra and panties set came out of the open doorway. Arizona looked over at the mess of clothes that were scattered all over her living room floor.

"Don't cave in Arizona," she whispered to herself, "Don't cave in."

"It's pretty lonely in here!" Callie shouted over the running water.

Arizona looked over at the clock on the wall. She decided it wouldn't hurt anyone if they were ten minutes late, and she could always do the dishes tonight. The blonde put everything in the sink. She walked to the bathroom, taking off her clothes as she went.

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**It's a little short but I figured a little fluff was needed. As always, reviews are appreciated. Thank you everyone who has been reviewing and letting me know where I mess up and where I should go from here. It means a lot!**


	6. Chapter 6

The couple tried to sneak into Seattle Grace as undetected as possible; their escapade from that morning had resulted in them being a half-hour late. The two pulled out their white coats and slipped them on, locking the rest of their stuff in their lockers.

Callie reached up and pushed the loose ringlets of Arizona's hair behind her ears. She enjoyed her time with Arizona and as each second ticked closer to their separation, the more anxious she got. The blonde could not help but notice that Calliope's facial expressions made her look like a child getting ready for her first day of school.

"It's going to be fine," Arizona said, grasping gently onto the collar of Callie's coat. The blonde didn't like the fact that she had to comfort Callie so much on this issue. Cal turned to face her girlfriend, leaning a little into her touch.

"What are you talking about?" Callie tried to say nonchalantly, even though she knew exactly what Arizona was referring to. Cal was aware that she was being a little dramatic about the whole thing; Erica was just an ex, exactly like George and Sloan were. But there was something about Erica that made it different.

"I think you know what I'm talking about," Arizona said calmly.

Callie just shook her head and smiled. She kissed her girlfriend quickly on the lips and walked out of the locker room, smiling over her shoulder at Arizona, which inevitably placed a smile on the blonde's face.

As Callie tried to make her way out of the locker room unnoticed, Arizona took a seat on the bench, waiting a few minutes before walking out. She was trying to create the illusion that her and Calliope did not come together and that it was a pure coincidence that they were both late to work. Arizona sighed; she knew no one would believe it. Taking a deep breath, the blonde stood up and ducked out into the hallway.

* * *

Callie stood by the nurse's desk. She reviewed medical charts, seeing what was on her 'to-do' list for the day. She had patient rounds, a rotary cup reconstruction, paperwork, and any emergencies that came through. She was about to walk away when her actions were halted.

"You're late, Torres." Mark's voice disrupted Callie's train of thought as he approached her. He leaned against the desk counter, taking a sip of his coffee.

Cal didn't say anything as she continued to glance at the charts in her hands, repositioning herself against the nurse's desk.

Sloan paused before starting, "Anyways, I was just coming over here to make sure you were okay after last night," he hesitated, studying Callie's facial features, "But I think Arizona already fixed the issue." Sloan took a sip from his coffee and raised his eyebrows smugly.

"What are you talking about?" Callie laughed, a hint of nervousness ringing in her voice.

"You're late and have that look on your face," the arrogant smile never left the man's face. Callie looked back at the chart, ignoring Mark's comment. "But seriously," he started up again, "You okay? What happened last night?"

Callie sighed and looked up from her clipboard.

"Erica's back. She is working here again, after leaving me standing in the parking lot of no return. So I was a little shocked to find out she was back without so much as a heads up. But I'm fine. All I needed was one day to sweat it out."

"Nice choice of words," Sloan muttered.

"Don't you have some place you need to be?" Callie asked, sarcasm ringing in her voice.

"Don't you?" he said with a composed, smooth voice. Callie shook her head; she picked up her charts and walked away.

As soon as Cal was out of sight, Lexie was by Mark's side.

"How is she?" the brunette asked.

"She's fine," Sloan said, sipping from his coffee once again.

"She's fine? Really? Just last night she was having a melt down at Joe's."

"She seemed okay. I don't think Hahn is going to be a problem."

"Were you not in the same O.R. after Hahn left?"

Sloan just sighed. The couple stood in silence for a moment.

"Have you even seen Hahn yet?" Sloan finally asked.

"No, have you?"

Mark shook his head as a silence fell between the two again. He shrugged his shoulders and finished off the last of his coffee. Sloan kissed Lexie on the cheek and walked towards a patient's room. Lexie returned to the task she was sent out to complete before she was sidetracked.

* * *

It was almost noon before anyone could get a break. Already exhausted, Lexie, Mark, Arizona, and Callie went to the cafeteria for a quick coffee.

The crew walked in silence into the vacant cafeteria; only a few interns sat scattered throughout the room. The group sat fairly close to the door so if necessary they could make a quick exit.

Callie rested her arm on the back of Arizona's chair and Arizona leaned back, relaxing into her touch. Mark and Lexie sat close together as they shared a chocolate chip muffin. The couples joked lightly about affairs around the hospital, mocking some of the patients in the urgent care.

Out of nowhere, a chill ran down Cal's back; she felt like someone was watching her. She looked to the doorway and saw Erica. The smile melted from Callie's face as the girls' eyes met. After a moment, Cal took a deep breath and turned back to the conversation. Lexie and Arizona were talking about the five year old girl whose allergic reaction to an antibiotic landed her a week stay in the peds wing. Neither of them noticed the stare-down; but Sloan did. He gave her a look of concern. She replied with a shrug of her shoulders. Assuming that meant she was okay, he left it alone.

Seeing her confirmed everything for Callie. From that point on she couldn't concentrate on the conversation going on around her. Luckily, break was almost up. The four stood and gathered their garbage. They threw it out and walked towards the exit.

Just before going their separate ways, Callie leaned in and kissed Arizona. The Latina held the kiss a second longer than she should have, for professional purposes. Arizona blushed slightly as she said goodbye. Callie didn't need to look back to know Erica saw the kiss. She watched Arizona walk away instead; a small smile plastered to her face.

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**Sorry this chapter is rushed and choppy; I thought it would be better to give one update versus three very small ones. The next chapter should be much better. **

**And Sorry it took so long to update... finals are in a few weeks and I am overwhelmed with studying. But in any downtime I have I am writing!**

**As always, reviews are much appreciated!!!**


	7. Chapter 7

Arizona and Callie walked out of Seattle Grace together; the sky was dark from a combination of rain and night. Both girls smiled as they exited, happy they could finally go home.

"Do you want to just rent a movie tonight?" Arizona asked, "I'm exhausted."

"That sounds good," Callie said, wrapping her arm around Arizona's waist, pulling the blonde closer.

The couple was almost to the Cal's Firebird when her pocket started vibrating.

"Ugh. Are you serious?" she whined as she looked at her pager, "I have to go back. Emergency surgery."

"Awe babe," Arizona started laughing, "You are too cute when you pout."

Arizona leaned over and kissed her girlfriend on the cheek, "I'll see you at your place."

Callie glanced at the opening in the parking garage wall; it was raining hard. She looked down at the keys in her hand and then gave them to Arizona.

"Take my car. It's pouring," Cal offered.

"What?" Arizona was surprised, "You are letting me drive it? I am honored."

Calliope laughed, "Yeah, well. Don't get used to it."

Cal pecked Arizona on the lips quickly, "I'll see you at home."

The Latina made her way back to the hospital. Each step she took put her in a worse mood; she was looking forward to spending the night watching movies while cuddling with Arizona.

She went into the locker room to put away her coat and grab her scrub cap. She pulled back her hair and put on the cap, tying it as she walked towards the O.R. wing. When she got there she saw it was completely dead.

Puzzled, she looked around. The only person near her was the nurse at the desk. Cal looked down at her pager to see if it had gone off again while she was getting ready but there was nothing. Suddenly, she heard a voice.

"Over here," Erica said walking away from the desk until the nurse was out of earshot. She wore her white coat over her scrubs and did not have a scrub cap on. It looked as if she were just feeling out paperwork all day.

"What's going on?" Callie asked, annoyance rising in her voice.

"Look," Erica said turning around to face Cal, "I just wanted to talk and I knew that-"

"Wait," Callie interrupted, "You called me in here after hours to talk? No emergency surgery. But to talk?"

"I just thought we needed some privacy."

Callie scoffed; she was stunned that Erica would pull this kind of stunt.

Erica hesitated for a moment. She crossed her arms across her chest while she considered what to say.

"I'm, I'm sorry. I was scared," she paused again, "There was a lot to take in and you didn't make it any easier when you hooked up with Sloan," bitterness rang at the end of her statement.

Callie shook her head in disbelief; part of her wanted to cry, part of her wanted to run, and part of her wanted to slap Erica.

The blonde new Cal was troubled; the mixed emotions were displayed on her face. Erica stared at Callie while Callie stared past Erica.

"Can we just talk?" Erica asked, dropping her voice. Callie glared at Erica.

"No," Cal said sternly. She ripped off her scrub cap and turned around, repeating, "No."

Erica stood there watching Callie walk away; the Latina practically sprinted to the locker room.

When she got there she tugged open her locker and threw her scrub cap onto the shelf. She grabbed her coat and slammed the locker shut. She rested her forehead against the cool metal, breathing heavily. Her mind was plagued with images of Erica; the memories that flooded back overwhelmed the ones of Arizona. Taking a deep breath, Callie pushed off of the lockers and walked towards the exit.

As she made it to the front door of the hospital, she stared outside. Even though it didn't seem possible, it was raining harder. Callie contemplated calling Arizona to pick her up. However, she knew it would just be an awkward car ride for her girlfriend and Callie knew she could use the time to clear her head.

Calliope made her way out into the rain, pulling her coat tight to her body, keeping her head down. She mechanically made the walk back to her apartment, focusing on nothing but the scenario that just played out. The rain hit her and instantly stuck to her clothes, hair, and skin. By the time she made it to the apartment building, her clothes were clinging to her body completely.

She walked up the stairs and down the hall to her apartment; Lexie stood out in the hallway trying to unlock her own door. The two made eye contact and halfheartedly smiled. Lexie stepped into her apartment leaving Callie alone in the hallway.

Callie placed her hand on the door knob and inhaled deeply, exhaling as she turned the knob.

Inside, Arizona sat on the couch watching TV. Hearing the door open, the blonde stood up.

"Hey baby. You're home early," she turned around and saw Callie, "And you're soaked."

Arizona walked over to her girlfriend, helping her take off her coat, "Why didn't you call me? I didn't realize it was raining this hard."

"It was a false alarm; one of the nurses accidentally paged me," Callie lied, "And I'm fine. I didn't want to make you come out in the rain." She leaned in and kissed Arizona on the cheek.

"It wouldn't have been a problem," Arizona frowned, "Go change. You have to be freezing. I'll make you a cup of tea."

Callie walked into the bedroom and changed into a pair of sweatpants and a tee-shirt. She brushed her hair, pulled it back, and removed the little make-up from her face that made it through the storm. Sauntering back into the leaving room, she saw a cup of soup and a cup of tea sitting on the coffee table.

"I know it's kind of an awkward combination," Arizona laughed, "but it will warm you up. Oh, and I rented 'The Ugly Truth.' It looked good."

Callie smiled and kissed Arizona on the cheek again, sitting next to her. She ate her soup and drank her tea. The couple told stories of their day and its events. However, Calliope didn't mention what happened with Erica; she didn't want to bring it up and make Arizona uncomfortable. Instead, Cal pretended nothing out of the ordinary happened.

When Callie finished eating, Arizona grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch, wrapping Callie in it and pulled her closer. Callie rested her head on Arizona's shoulder as the couple snuggled in to each other. The Latina looked up and kissed Arizona softly but passionately. After breaking the kiss, both girls smiled looking into each others' eyes.

Cal moved her head back to its resting place.

"Love you," Arizona whispered into Callie's hair as she kissed the top of her head.

"Love you too," Callie replied, wrapping her arm around her girlfriend's waist. 'This is where I'm supposed to be,' Calliope thought to herself, 'This is it.'

The Latina closed her eyes and inhaled the gentle scent of Arizona who was running her finger through Cal's hair; she clung tighter to the blonde, trying to eliminate any space between them.

Soon, Calliope's breathing changed; Arizona knew she had fallen asleep. The blonde continued to run her fingers through Callie's hair until she too fell into a deep slumber.

---------------

**First off, Happy Thanksgiving to any who celebrate. And thank you to anyone who has read this up to this point. It means a lot. Reviews are always appreciated.**


	8. Chapter 8

It had been a quiet two weeks for Callie and Arizona. Neither couple had any big surgeries, or terminal patients. Family had not come back to harass the couple. The merger hadn't troubled either of them and the interns were becoming less demanding. But most of all, Erica had not bothered either girl. For both Arizona and Callie, things had been going back to normal.

At the hospital, both girls sat at in the cafeteria sharing a salad and Panini. Arizona sipped on an iced tea while reading the newspaper. Callie sat across from her, pretending to be focused on the meal in front of her.

"Oh look at this one," Arizona said handing Callie the newspaper, "two bedrooms, large kitchen, and pets allowed."

Callie laughed, "We would be sharing a room, right?"

Arizona smiled back, "Yes, dear."

"Just checking," Callie took a sip of the tea, realizing the last part of Arizona's previous statement, "Pets allowed?"

"Well," she paused, "I was thinking maybe, just maybe, we could get a puppy?"

"Well," Callie said buying sometime so she could process the idea. She didn't really like dogs but thought it would be nice to have company when Arizona was at the hospital. It'd be like having a kid, just a furry, slobbery kid. She looked up at her girlfriend, who in turn looked back at her. "When do you want to go puppy shopping then?"

Arizona smiled, opening her mouth to answer Callie's question when Christina walked over with Owen.

"Puppy shopping? Who's getting a puppy? Not you Torres," Yang stated.

Arizona and Callie glanced at each other, Callie communicating that she had not told Yang about her moving out.

Yang and Owen took their seats next to Callie and Arizona. Yang glanced over Arizona's shoulder.

"Looking to move?" She asked.

"Mhm," Arizona nodded. An awkward silence fell upon the table.

"Well, I have to go… do… something," Callie said, quieting as she finished her statement. She stood up gathering the plates and trays.

"Me too," Arizona said also standing up.

"See you guys later," Callie said before walking away. Both Christina and Owen watched the two as they disappeared around a corner. Owen turned to her, shooting a confused look. Christina just shrugged and began eating.

In the hall, Arizona and Callie walked quickly towards the front of the hospital.

"So, Calliope," Arizona said in a scolding tone, "When do you plan on telling her?"

"I thought when all my stuff was packed in boxes would be a good time," Callie answered.

"Calliope,"

"I know, I know. I'll talk to her tonight," Callie interrupted.

"Good," Arizona said, pecking Callie on the cheek, "I'll pick you up when I get out."

"Where are we going?" Callie asked watching Arizona walk away.

"Where ever," Arizona smiled her bright smile. Callie walked away smiling as she headed towards the O.R. to scrub in on an ACL reconstruction.

After the surgery and paperwork, Callie made her way to the locker room. She was exhausted and was looking forward to spending the night with Arizona—again. She smiled at the thought of them living together. She soon realized that Arizona is making her that crazy woman who randomly smiles when nothing is funny; she smiled at that thought, too.

She entered the vacant locker room and made her way to her locker. She spun the lock, putting in her combination. When she opened the steel door a piece of paper fluttered to the ground. Confused, Callie picked it up. Unfolding it, she instantly recognized the hand-writing within; Erica. The smile once plastered to her face melted away instantly.

"I miss you. -Erica," it read.

"What the hell!" Callie yelled, slamming the locker door shut.

"I am so happy, so fucking happy with Arizona," she thought, "Erica can't just come marching in here like nothing happened, expecting me to welcome her with open arms."

Callie stared down at the paper, sighing deeply, "I miss her too. I MISSED her. I'm with Arizona now, happily with Arizona now. And it's too late."

The door to the locker room opened and closed; footsteps approached Callie's hunched over figure.

"Hey babe, I thought I saw you walk in here," Arizona looked at her girlfriend, "Are you okay? What's wro-" Arizona stopped and looked down at the paper, "Oh."

"What?" Callie looked up at Arizona then down at the paper, "Oh. No!" she shouted, standing up, "She slipped this in my locker. I just found it."

Callie wrapped her arms around Arizona, "I swear."

"I believe you," Arizona said sincerely, smiling halfheartedly at Callie's panic. She placed a kiss on Callie's nose on Callie's nose. Callie kissed her back, drawing a smile from Arizona.

"Go home and talk to Christina," Arizona instructed, "I'll pick you up as soon as my shift is over."

The blonde kissed Callie on the lips. As she went to pull away, Calliope tugged her back, deepening the kiss.

"I love you," Callie said.

Arizona smiled fully, "I love you too."

The peds surgeon walked out leaving Callie to gather her stuff. The Latina's world was turned upside down by the note. She wanted to ignore it but knew she would not be able to. The images of her and Erica would plague her mind until she did something about it.

She looked back down at the note. Cal picked it up and tore it in half, throwing it into the garbage can. She was going to ignore Hahn and the images for as long as she could.

* * *

**Sorry for the time between updates. I had finals last week. I also apologize for the rush and lack of character in this chapter. I leave for my dad's tomorrow and will not have a computer for two weeks. I didn't want to leave you guys without an update for three weeks. As always, I appreciate reviews. Thank you to all who have been reading and reviewing.**


	9. Chapter 9

Callie entered her apartment to find Christina on the couch. Yang didn't notice the door open, allowing Cal to debate on whether to duck out or not. She wasn't prepared for the argument that she believed would ensue if she mentioned her moving out.

She sighed, knowing Arizona would be upset if she didn't at least try to talk with Christina. Calliope slowly shut the door and walked into the living room. She took a seat in the arm chair diagonal from Yang. Christina paid no attention to Callie as she watched the T.V. The two sat in silence for a moment before Callie spoke.

"So…" she said, drawing out the word. Yang looked at her.

"Yeah?" Yang asked, her voice ringing of impatience.

"Well, the lease is up next month and," Callie paused, "I was thinking… about… moving in with Arizona."

Yang stared at her for a moment processing the statement. She turned back to the T.V.

"Okay," Christina said emotionless.

"Really?" Callie was shocked at how calm her roommate was.

"Yeah? It's not that big of a deal."

"Oh."

An awkward silence fell between the roommates as Christina returned to watching a reality show that resembled Survivor. Calliope leaned back in her chair, realizing Yang would not be carrying on a conversation.

The pager on the coffee table began vibrating, producing a load noise.

"Yes," Yang cheered as she reached for the pager. She stood up and tossed the remote to Callie, "Trauma coming in. You paged?"

"Nope," Callie responded. Christina shrugged and walked into her bedroom to change, emerging a few moments later. She walked out the door without saying a word.

"Bye," Callie said after the door already shut. She grabbed the remote and flipped through the channels. Nothing good was on; just the daily news, Christina's reality show, and re-runs of sitcoms. Calliope turned off the television and walked to the kitchen. She grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge and returned to the living room. She placed her water on the table and lied down on the couch. Her eyes slipped shut as she began to relax; it had been draining day at the hospital.

Thoughts of Arizona began to flood her mind. Callie loved her girlfriend's smile and she loved the dimples. Cal loved how Arizona was kind and loving and protective.

A small grin tugged at Calliope's lips as she thought about the blonde. The grin began to fade as the image of Arizona's disappointment over Erica's note entered her mind. The thought of the note lead to the thought of Erica.

The Latina tried to focus her thoughts on her Arizona again. She opened her eyes to stare at the ceiling, hoping the action would terminate her thoughts completely. She was not successful. Callie grabbed her phone out of her pocket. She went to her contacts and scrolled down to Erica, selecting the name.

Clicking the button on the phone brought up three options over the contact: message, call, erase. Calliope scrolled through the options, hovering over each one momentarily. She weighed the pros and cons of each selection.

Callie wanted to talk to her so she couldn't erase the contact, leaving two options. She continued to weigh her choices as she scrolled up and down. Message or call, message or call.

"Incoming Call: Arizona," the screen read.

Callie accepted the call, and brought the phone up to her ear.

"Hey," Callie said.

"Hey babe," Arizona's cheery voice rang through the speaker, "I'm on my way over, you ready?"

"Just come on up. Christina left. The door should be unlocked."

"Alright. See you soon."  
Callie hit the end button, closing the call. Erica's contact was still on the screen. With a deep sigh, Calliope shut her phone and placed it on the table. She left the debate for another day.

A few moments later the door opened and shut; the lock clicked into place.

"I brought pizza," Arizona announced.

Callie sprang up and looked over the couch at her girlfriend, "What kind?"

Arizona walked over, set it on the table in front of Callie, and sat down next to her.

"Your favorite," the blonde answered, handing her a slice.

"Oh!," Callie gushed, "How'd work go?"

"It was good," a smile came to the blonde's face, "Candace's birthday was today so we had a tea party."

Calliope half-heartedly smiled at the image of Arizona drinking tea with her eight year old patient.

Arizona studied Callie's face and posture, immediately knowing her girlfriend had something on her mind.

"What'cha thinking about?" Arizona asked.

"Hmm," Callie grinned, "How amazing you are for getting pizza."

Arizona laughed at Calliope's answer, forgetting about her previous concern.

"I'm glad you like the pizza," the blonde responded.

The couple continued chatting and eating, playfully teasing each other occasionally.

A vibrating came from the table as Callie's pager danced across the wood. She reached over, grabbed it, and read the screen.

"Great," she finished chewing the pizza in her mouth, "Must be the same emergency Christina was called in for," Callie explained, wiping her hands on a napkin. She stood up and went to her room to change.

"You can just stay here if you want," Cal shouted from the other room, "I don't have to be in tomorrow until ten."

"I probably will," Arizona said as Callie emerged from the room in her blue scrubs. She walked over and kissed her girlfriends forehead.

"I'll see you soon," Cal said before walking out the door, heading for the hospital.

A man lost control of his pickup truck and crashed into a tree, severing his leg and nearly killing his passenger. Callie was in charge of repairing what was left of the driver's femur. After an hour of consulting with Hunt followed by a three hour surgery, Calliope was finally allowed to leave. She was exhausted; Cal could not wait to go home and crawl into bed.

The surgeon walked into the locker room and removed her scrub cap and grabbed her coat. She fumbled with her keys in her pockets as she walked out the front door. Calliope was almost out of the hospital when someone caught her attention.

"Torres," a woman called behind her. She turned around to see Erica. She stopped walking and waited for the blonde to approach her.

"The terms I left on were not the best, to say the least," she paused to look at Cal to see what her reaction was, "But I want to try and make up for that."

Callie stared at Erica; she tried her best to look annoyed. She crossed her arms across her chest and waited for Erica to continue.

"Before you turn me down and run out of here, know that I am fully admitting I was wrong and you know how hard that is for me."

Callie smirked at Erica's comment, building hope for the cardio surgeon.

"Let me take you out tomorrow night for a drink at Joe's," Erica proposed.

Callie looked up at Erica then down again. A great deal of thoughts ran through her head. Her mind and heart dueled over the decision.

Erica saw the hesitancy in Callie's eyes.

"Just one round of darts and a drink, that's it," Erica enticed.

Callie inhaled a deep breath before replying. She knew the answer she was going to give, even though it was not necessarily the best.

"Okay."

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**I am very, very, very sorry for the hiatus. A lot has happened since my last post. I can't tell you when the next update will be but I promise I will finish the story. Thank you for your reads and reviews. I really appreciate them!**


	10. Chapter 10

_Calliope walked into the bathroom at Joe's and headed towards the mirror. Looking into the glass, she reapplied a clear layer of lip gloss. She smacked her lips as she returned the tube to her purse. Behind her, the bathroom door opened and a blonde woman stepped in. A playful smirk spread across the Latina's lips._

"_I was hoping you would follow me in here," Callie said, watching the blonde through the mirror._

"_I guess I read your mind," the other woman taunted, walking towards Cal; Callie turned around to face her visitor._

_The blonde kissed Callie's lips, nipping at them gently. Calliope placed her hands on either side of her lover's face guiding the woman closer. The blonde pushed Callie against the sink, pressing her body into the Latina's; a deep moan escaped Callie's throat._

_The bathroom door suddenly flew open and Arizona stood in the door way. Callie pushed away from Erica as Arizona's eyes filled with tears. Arizona turned around and rushed out of the bar. Calliope pushed past Erica and followed behind Arizona, yelling for her._

"_Arizona! Stop! Please!"_

_Calliope chased Arizona outside. Once in the middle of the parking lot, Arizona froze. The snowflakes blew from the roof and collected on the golden strands of Arizona's hair._

_The two women stood in the parking lot in silence, both waiting for the other to speak. Callie would try to take a step closer but Arizona would take a step away. The blonde turned to face Cal._

"_You can't have half feelings for the both of us, Calliope," Arizona said in a monotonous tone. The blonde turned back around and began to walk away. _

_Calliope began shouting and chasing after her again; this time Arizona did not stop. It seemed the faster Callie walked, the further away Arizona got. She chased after the blonde across the never-ending parking lot, unsuccessfully. Soon, Arizona was completely out of sight._

* * *

Callie's eyes shot open, the view of her shadow casted ceiling came into view; the room was lit only by the red digits of the alarm clock. To her right was Arizona, peacefully sleeping. Realizing the fallacy of the dream, Cal let go of the breath she was holding in.

Careful not to disturb the sleeping form next to her, Calliope climbed out of bed. The Latina tiptoed into the living room, stopping in front of the large window. She peered through the glass, watching the traffic of Seattle below.

It was the second night since she went out with Erica that Callie had had the dream. Both times she woke up in a cold sweat.

Cal never mentioned her night with Erica to Arizona. She felt like the issue with Erica was something she needed to work out on her own; involving Arizona would make it much more emotional and difficult.

"Have a bad dream?" Arizona whispered in a maternal voice, interrupting Cal's train of thought. Calliope looked up at the blonde who stood in the bedroom doorway, wearing just a cami and pajama shorts, her hair still disarray from sleep.

"Yeah, the same one," Callie replied.

The first night Callie had the dream she told her girlfriend that it was about Arizona ending their relationship.

The blonde woman walked over to the couch and sat down. She held her arms open waiting for Callie to join her. When Calliope sat down, Arizona wrapped her arm around Callie's shoulders and pulled Cal into her. The blonde soothingly rubbed Calliope's arm.

"Sorry if I woke you," Cal said softly into Arizona's neck.

"It's fine. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Callie leaned up and kissed Arizona on the cheek, then sat up, "You should go back to sleep. You have to be to work in three hours."

"I would rather stay up and watch a late night movie with you," Arizona said with a smile. She reached over and grabbed the remote off of the table and flicked on the T.V. She searched the channels, finally stopping on "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

Callie laughed, "I didn't know you were a fan."

"I'm not," Arizona replied, "I hate black and white movies but there is nothing else on."

Callie smiled again as she laid down. She pulled Arizona down with her, wrapping her arm around the blonde's waist. Arizona reached up and grabbed the blanket off of the back of the couch. The couple maneuvered the blanket until both women were completely covered.

On the screen, Clarissa Saunders talked about her dreams in the Capraesque way. The lighting and language of the scene enthused Arizona.

The blonde smiled as she laced her fingers with Callie's, "I love you."

Callie kissed Arizona's neck, "I love you, too."

The blonde leaned back into her girlfriend, allowing Callie to hold her tighter. The couple continued to watch the interaction between Saunders and Jefferson Smith on the television. Cal ran her thumb over the back of Arizona's hand, lulling her with the rhythmic movement.

"The best way to end a four day vacation," Arizona said, her voice laced with hoarseness from fatigue, "Cuddling with your girlfriend at three in the morning."

Callie grinned and pressed her lips to Arizona's bare shoulder, "You are so corny."

* * *

Callie had just finished a demanding shift at the hospital. She had a double hip replacement which took over seven hours; the replacement ball joint for the left socket did not fit properly. By the end of the day, Callie was worn out.

She was scrubbing out after the surgery, feeling as if she could collapse at any minute. The door to the hall opened and a meek, red-headed intern stepped in.

"Uh—Dr. Torres? Dr. Robbins wants to see you," he stated, "She said meet her in on-call room 4, floor 5."

Callie tried to conceal her grin and remain as professional as possible, "Alright, I'll page her to let her know I'm on my way."

The intern nodded and walked out. Cal grabbed her lab coat from the scrub room and reached in to the pocket for her pager. She selected Arizona's name and sent her the page, "On the way."

Callie walked briskly up the stairs and through the halls, trying to dodge both Sloan and Bailey. When she reached the room, Cal stood outside the closed door composing herself; she straightened her clothes and fixed her hair. She stepped in with a swift turn of the door knob.

"Hey. Sorry I took so long. I had some minor complications in surgery," Callie apologized as she shut the door. She looked over to find Arizona sitting on a couch, looking straight ahead, her face portraying hurt.

"Whoa, babe," Callie rushed over and sat down next to Arizona, "What's wrong?"

"I know what happened Thursday night," Arizona whispered, continuing to look forward, "People talk."

Callie's heart sank; the ache in Arizona's voice flared Calliope's guilt.

"I—I've been trying to be supportive. I've been trying to help you through this. With her letters, her calls, the looks across the cafeteria. I feel like I'm in high school again. I—," Arizona paused, swallowing the lump in her throat, "I can't—."

Arizona stopped and placed her head in her hands, hiding her face from Callie.

"You can't what?" Callie asked; her voice was barely audible. She tried again, this time a little louder, "You can't what?"

Arizona didn't answer. She remained unmoved. Calliope was in shock. She knew she should have said something but her mind was completely blank; she stumbled over any thought that entered her mind.

"Why did you do it?" Arizona asked, her voice muffled by her hands.

"This sounds much worse than it really is," Callie responded. She reached up and placed her hand on Arizona's shoulder, "It's not what you think."

The blonde was silent as she stared forward.

"Ari," Callie coaxed.

"No," the blonde stood up, "Don't Ari me," she turned to face Calliope, "If it's not what I think, why didn't you tell me before?"

Callie was shocked; she had no idea what to say; she would open her mouth to say something, but nothing would come out. Arizona was right. If there was nothing wrong with what Callie was doing, why didn't she say anything?

Arizona read Callie's silence as a confession, "I have to go."

"Wait," Calliope called, reaching for her girlfriend's hand, "Please."

Arizona shook off Callie's attempt without saying a word. Tears began to fall from the blue eyes. Arizona walked out the door, letting it close behind her, leaving Callie alone in the on-call room.

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**Alright guys, let me know what you think! I tried to update as quickly as possible. Reviews are very appreciated; they make me smile.**


	11. Chapter 11

It had been two weeks since the confrontation between Arizona and Callie and the couple had not talked to since. Calliope had tried everything to keep her mind off of the blonde. She signed up for extra shifts in the E.R. and was constantly offered to take work from Bailey. Miranda quickly grew annoyed with Calliope's clinginess and sent Cal home.

The orthopedic surgeon now sat on her couch, watching the television mindlessly. She had spent the last hour just flipping through channels, waiting for something interesting to come on.

The door opened behind her and an offer of beer came from Sloan. Callie glanced over her shoulder and shrugged.

Sloan walked in and placed the pack on the counter. After grabbing two bottles and popping the tops off, Mark made his way to the couch, taking a seat next to Callie.

Sloan stared at Cal out of the corner of his eye, looking her up and down.

"Have you showered today?" Sloan asked, his stare never leaving the woman next to him.

"Nope," Callie wryly replied after taking a large swig of her beer.

Mark played with the label on the bottle he has holding.

"Did you shower yesterday?"

Cal took another drink from her beer, avoiding the question.

"Have you guys talked?" Sloan asked.

"Nope," Callie answered, "Unless me filling up her voicemail counts."

Cal's voice quivered in her answer. Sloan paused, taking a sip from his drink. He contemplated on how to word his next question.

"Did she," he cleared his throat, "Are you guys over?" Sloan asked.

Callie looked away from Mark as tears began to free fall from her eyes.

"Awe, Torres," Sloan comforted, draping his arm over her shoulders. He pulled her in, allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder. Sloan set down the bottle and wrapped both arms around the crying girl.

Mark rubbed Cal's back in an effort to comfort her. Calliope clung tighter to her friend.

Soon, Cal's sobs began to fade into whimpers as sleep subdued her. Mark gently stood up and placed Callie on the couch. The loss of Mark's body heat caused Callie to instantly curl up like an infant. Sloan reached for the throw-blanket from the back of the couch and covered Callie.

He knew he couldn't leave Calliope alone. Even after both George and Erica, Mark had never seen his best friend this upset. After making a few calls to Miranda, Owen, and Derek, Mark managed to get his afternoon cleared. He grabbed his beer and moved to the chair diagonal from the couch. He planned on waiting there until Calliope woke up.

Across town, Arizona paced the floor of her apartment. The coffee table in the middle of the room held a box of half-eaten donuts and a filled ashtray. Moving boxes were scattered across the living room and kitchen.

Bags had formed under her eyes from lack of sleep. Every night she would come home exhausted from work but when she went to bed she would toss and turn all night. Arizona had never realized how accustomed she grew to Callie's light snore. She had reached a point where the noise was necessary to sleep.

As Arizona paced she retraced every moment of her relationship with Callie, looking for something that would have foreshadowed Cal's infidelity. Despite how long she thought, or how hard, she could never recall anything that could have lead to this.

Arizona inhaled a shaky breath. The blonde had come to terms with the fact that she had no idea what actually happened that night. The only thing she was certain about was that Calliope lied about working to go out with Erica. Arizona had slept on the couch of Cal's apartment that night, waiting for the Latina to return home from being out with her ex.

The alarm clock in the bedroom went off, ripping Arizona from her thoughts. The blaring noise signaled the beginning of Arizona's routine to get ready for work. Begrudgingly, she walked into the bathroom to start her dreaded day at the hospital.

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**I know it is a very, very short chapter. But I think it was necessary. I'm going to try and update soon... but with 19 credit hours I can't promise anything. But I will finish the story at some point, I swear! As always, reviews are appreciated. And thank you everyone who has reviewed so far.**


	12. Chapter 12

Callie sat in a dimly lit room, huddled over several books and loose sheets of paper. The Chief had asked her to read and annotate several case studies performed on Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva, a disease in which your muscle tissue becomes bone tissue. Eventually, the infected patient's body would become incased in a second skeleton.

A light knock came from the door just before someone stepped in.

"I brought you coffee," Erica said, "You've been in here for a while."

"Thank you," Callie said appreciatively. She took the cup from Erica and brought the it to her mouth, taking a deep sip, "You. Are a lifesaver."

Erica laughed as she scanned the books on the table.

"What's all this?" she asked.

"Research. A sixteen year old girl broke her shoulder snowboarding at Mission Ridge. X-rays showed bone fragments in her muscle tissue. Chief wanted me to see if F.O.P. was a possible diagnosis. I really hope it's not, it is unbelievably painful."

"That's terrible," Erica replied as she rifled through the papers, "Anything I can help with?"

"Keeping my mug filled is great help," Callie said as she went back to work.

"I can do that," Erica responded as she leaned back into the couch. She took a sip from her own coffee and grabbed her clipboard from the arm of the couch, "Mind if I stay?"

"Not at all," Cal said.

Erica smirked and began filling out her charts. The women continued to work without saying another word.

At the front of the hospital Bailey, Shepherd, and Sloan stood huddled around the nurse's desk, all involved in a deep conversation. Owen approached the group, taking the last coffee from the carrier that sat on top of the counter.

"Do we have a plan yet?" Hunt asked, sipping the coffee.

"I think getting them in the same room is a decent plan," Sloan responded.

Owen chuckled at the response; he was expecting some big and fancy, romantic plot. However, he forgot that neither Meredith nor Lexie were involved in the scheme.

"How do you plan on doing that?" Owen wondered.

On cue, Arizona walked from the opposite hall in the direction of the desk. Once entering the room, she took an immediate right and turned into the supply closet.

"Like that," Sloan said as he watched the door close behind her, "One down, one to go."

"This is insane," Shepherd laughed, pushing off of the desk. He made his way down the hallway that Arizona had come from. A few moments later he walked past the group again, this time heading in the opposite direction, "She's coming this way."

The group huddled as they planned on how exactly to get Callie into the medical closet. A brief argument ensued but ended with Miranda repeating, "I will handle this, I've got this."

Two seconds later, Callie walked into view. She was with Erica, both holding an empty coffee cup. The two women began to walk past the group, involved in their own conversation about F.O.P. and other rare diseases.

"Torres," Bailey called, "Can I speak to you for a moment?"

"Sure," Callie responded. Cal said good bye to Erica and made her way to the group, "What's up?"

"I just wanted to inform you that Mr. Kulis, yesterday's hip replacement, is doing well," Bailey replied.

"Good. Glad to hear it," Calliope said, waiting to see if that was all Bailey wanted.

"Do me a favor Torres," Bailey instructed, "Run to the supply cabinet and get me a--" Bailey paused, "Bed pan. Can you believe one of the new interns didn't know what a bed pan was?"

Callie stared at Bailey with her trademark stare; the one that easily translated to 'you're crazy.'

"Sure thing," Callie said as she turned on her heals and walked towards the supply closet.

Once Cal was out of ear shot, Mark turned towards Bailey, "Bed pan? Seriously?"

"Can it, Dr. Sloan. Now you and Dr. Hunt best find something to do before I give you something to do."

Simultaneously, Mark and Owen packed up their belongings and walked away. It didn't matter to them that they were Miranda Bailey's equal; she still placed the fear of God in them.

Calliope hastily opened the supply closet door. The noise startled Arizona, causing her to drop the few items in her hands.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" Callie explained helping the blonde pick up the supplies.

"It's okay," Arizona said as she stood. She placed the objects on the shelf behind her, and then leaned against the shelf for support.

The two women stood in the medical closet, taking turns staring at each other and then at the floor. Neither knew really what to say or do. Calliope began to shift her weight from foot to foot nervously.

"I um, just need, this," Callie took a few steps forward and reached above Arizona's head for the bed pan. Callie paused once she realized where her actions had placed her. Her hand rested on the shelf above Arizona's head and her body was less than an inch from the blonde's. Pools of blue were staring into her dark brown eyes.

Their hearts raced. Arizona was sure that Calliope could feel her heart beating through her scrubs. Their faces came closer as their lips gravitated towards one another's. Arizona wasn't sure how she managed to remain composed. She missed this contact with Calliope; she missed everything that was Calliope.

They were so close now that Callie could feel Arizona's breath against her lips. Callie's hand slid down the metal shelving unit to rest on Arizona's waist. The blonde's eyes shut. Callie's breathing hitched as she made the move to close the space between them.

Suddenly, Arizona's cell phone went off. Both women snapped out of their trance and Callie stepped away. The blonde pulled out her phone and read the message on the screen.

"I have to go," Arizona said.

"Yeah, me too," Callie responded as she grabbed the bed pan from the shelf. She turned and walked out the door, leaving Arizona alone in the medical closet.

Callie walked over to the counter and handed Bailey the bed pan. Without a word, Cal walked back to the room that walked back to research library, completely forgetting about the coffee she promised to get with Erica.

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**I hope you enjoyed it! I tried to post as quick as possible. The next Chapter should be up fairly soon, it is already half written. **

**I appreciate everyone who has read this story and has reviewed it. My day was totally made when I saw that I had 100 reviews. After all, this is my first story! Thank you everyone!**


	13. Chapter 13

After seven hours of straight research, Callie returned her findings on F.O.P. to the Chief and went home. Webber permitted Callie to leave, telling her if she was needed, he would page her. With that, Calliope went to the locker room, changed out of her scrubs, and left the hospital.

Callie wasn't ready to go home just yet. Christina was still in a terrible mood from last night when Owen did not paging her for an emergency bypass. It was bad enough when Christina missed out on a surgery; when she missed out on a cardio surgery, the world might as well end.

Calliope searched her purse for her iPod. Once it was found, she popped in her ear buds and hit shuffle. Instead of going to Joe's, she decided to take a walk. Her soundtrack consisted of The Killers, Snow Patrol, Jaunes, AAR, Creed, and Poison. Each song set the pace for her walk as she stepped in beat with her music. She cleared her head of stress by focusing on the lyrics of each song.

Before she realized it, she was two miles away from her starting point. The sun was beginning to set, casting pinks and violets through the clouds. She enjoyed the colors of the sky; they entranced her. The sun was setting fast and Calliope knew she had to get home.

She turned towards home and began walking. Needing motivation to walk fast, she switched to a playlist she created. The songs on the list consisted of strong back beats or motivational lyrics. She listened to the playlist when she got ready in the morning and to prepare for surgery. The first song that played was "Let it Rock," by Kevin Rudolph and was followed by "Please Don't Stop the Music," by Rihanna.

The third song that played on her iPod was "Little Pieces," by Gomez. Calliope had forgotten that the song was on her playlist; it was her and Arizona's song. The notes that rang through the plastic instantly brought a smile to Calliope's as she remembered the time her and Arizona danced around her living room on their first date. Arizona's bouncing, blonde ringlets and her nerdy dance moves made the date one of the best Callie had ever been on.

Calliope knew she had to fix her relationship with Arizona. Since their split, Callie's days had become bland and dull. She missed the smiles and dimples; she missed the loving kisses in the morning and tight hugs at night. As soon as she made it back to the hospital she was going to find Arizona and make things better; she was not going to leave until things were fixed. She was determined. That night would be the night her world made sense again.

Callie was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she did not notice the pedestrian signal on the intersection in front of her begin to blink rapidly. She took her first steps across the pavement as the signal read don't walk.

Traffic quickly picked up as cars started driving across the junction. From her left, Calliope heard a car horn and screeching brakes. Looking up she saw the car six feet from her and quickly approaching. She had no time to react. The blue ford Taurus crashed into Calliope, projecting her forward. Callie slammed into the ground. Blood began to pool on the pavement; witnesses began screaming and the driver got of the car. He quickly grabbed his cell phone, dialing 9-1-1**.**

* * *

At the hospital, Arizona had spent the previous hour pacing around a vacant on-call room, preparing what she wanted to say. She mumbled the words in the order she intended to recite them, practicing over and over again. Big fancy speeches were never her thing; nerves and authority issues always got in her way. When she felt she had everything memorized and in the correct order, Dr. Robbins began to searching for Dr. Hahn.

After scanning on the O.R. schedule and looking in the conference rooms, Arizona found Hahn at the nurse's desk, signing charts and checking over consent forms. She approached the woman and took a deep breath.

"I love Calliope," Arizona blurted; she had already drifted from her practiced speech.

"Okay?" A confused Hahn looked up from the paperwork in front of her.

Arizona tried to recollect herself as she thought about how to continue from her confession.

"She is caring and mesmerizing and--," Arizona paused realizing that she was making it worse. The best tactic now was to just wing-it, "She is perfect."

Erica put down the clip board and turned to face Arizona, confusion still portrayed on her face.

Arizona continued, "In the end, she is going to choose one of us. And every minute, of everyday, I pray that it's going to be. But I have accepted the fact that it may not be me and that it may be you.

"If she chooses you, Dr. Hahn, you have to stay. This time around, you cannot leave her. You cannot run when things get scary or when they get bad. Believe me; a relationship with Calliope has its ups and downs. But the ups outweigh the downs every time.

"She deserves the best. If she chooses you, you give her the best," Arizona finished as she looked down, avoiding eye contact with Hahn. Arizona was beginning to lose composure fast.

"Are you done, Dr. Robbins?" Erica asked, her voice mixing sympathy and impatience.

Arizona exhaled and looked up at Hahn, "Yes."

Erica turned back to her paperwork and began writing, "Callie went out with me to tell me she was in love with you," Hahn said without emotion, "Our relationship is strictly platonic."

Arizona stared at the ground, soaking in what she just heard. Why didn't Callie just say so? Why didn't Calliope talk to her about this? Why didn't Arizona just listen?

Erica watched as Arizona struggled with the information.

"I think you should go talk to her now," Erica said. Arizona nodded in response.

Both Arizona's and Erica's pagers began beeping, the small screens reading '911 Trauma.' Erica walked passed Arizona and headed down the hall. Arizona quickly followed behind her, trying to collect herself. She would call Callie as soon as she could; she would fix things that night.

The two women made it to the bay and were handed their yellow trauma gowns and latex gloves. They began to walk towards the door when a panic stricken Mark walked passed Hahn and went straight to Arizona, grabbing her shoulders. Tears began to form in his eyes.

"Mark, what's going on?" Arizona asked.

"It's Callie," he said, fighting back the tears. Arizona's stomach dropped and all color drained from her face.

"What happened," Arizona asked, her voice was flat.

"Book an O.R. now," Owen shouted to an intern as Karev maneuvered the stretcher into a trauma bay. On it laid Callie, an oxygen mask hooked to her mouth. Hahn walked alongside the stretcher checking vitals as Callie was transported.

"She needs to be stabilized then we need to run an M.R.I. to see where the damage was done," Hahn told Owen and Alex.

"You," Hahn pointed at an intern, "Go get an M.R.I. prepped."

"Oh my god," Arizona went to follow the stretcher but Mark seized her arm.

"You can't go," Mark said, "You will only get in the way."

Arizona shook her head and tears fell. She tried to step back, still shaking her head. She began to tremble; she felt her knees begin to give out from under her. Mark enveloped her in a hug and held her up. He rested his chin on top of her head as deep, heavy sobs rang from Arizona and into Mark's chest.

Both adults cried, clutching to each other for support.

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**I tried updating as fast as possible; I am sorry if it is choppy. I hope you guys enjoy it! Please review and let me know! Thank you!**


	14. Chapter 14

The phone rang on the other end once, twice, "Aló?"

"Um, hello. Mr. Torres?" Arizona asked, her nerves bubbling up into her voice.

"Yes, this is he. May I ask who I am speaking to?"

"It's Arizona," the blonde paused, waiting for some sort of response from the man on the other line, "Arizona Robbins, Callie's-"

"Girlfriend, yes I know who you are, Arizona," Carlos chuckled at the woman's anxiety.

Arizona paused as she fiddled with a loose string on her scrub top as she tried to keep herself composed.

"Mr. Torres," Arizona swallowed hard, "Callie was in an accident."

"What kind of accident?" Panic struck Carlo's voice, "Is she okay?"

In the background of the other line, Arizona heard a woman speaking fluent Spanish. Carlos replied to the woman in a rushed tone.

"She was hit by a car," Arizona answered, "And I don't know. She is in surgery right now. They haven't updated me on her status yet."

"Well you're a surgeon aren't you?" His voice was now harsh, "Go and find out."

"Sir, I'm sorry. I can't. In this situation, I'm considered her family, not her surgeon."

Arizona heard nothing on the other line. She prepared herself for swearing and cursing and yelling from the man.

"We will be there as soon as we can," Carlos said instead, maintaining a level voice, "See you soon."

Mr. Torres ended the call and Arizona closed her cell phone.

Mark looked over at Arizona, silently asking about the conversation.

"They said they would be here as soon as they could," Arizona answered, taking a seat next to Mark.

Time passed slowly for the rest of Callie's surgery. With each ticking second, Arizona and Mark grew more and more anxious. Neither person left the waiting room. They would resituate in their chairs, both incapable of sitting still. Sometimes Arizona would pace from one end of the room to the other and back, silently praying.

Other doctors came and went, occasionally asking about Callie or bringing coffee to the two in waiting. Christina came most frequently, always checking for updates. She never stayed; waiting around for an answer wasn't her thing. She needed to keep busy.

Even though she would never admit it, Christina had grown very fond of Callie. When Izzie came to her with the apartment ad two years ago, Christina knew that the blonde's intention were to move in together. Instead of turning down the offer, Christina played it dumb and took the flyer to Callie.

She loved sharing an apartment with the Latin woman. Callie was a great cook, non-dramatic and non-clingy. She was willing to sleep in Mark's apartment or at Arizona's whenever Christina wanted free-roam of the apartment with Owen. She cared about Christina and had no problem stating her opinion. Callie had become the sister Christina never had.

After her shift ended, Lexie also joined Arizona and Mark as permanent residents in the waiting room. She took a seat next to Mark, gently rubbing his back in an effort to console him.

"Any updates yet?" Lexie asked.

Arizona and Mark shook their heads in unison. The room returned to silence.

It was about ten p.m. when the O.R. door finally creaked opened; a fatigued Bailey and Hahn walked into the waiting room. Arizona quit her pacing and turned towards the surgeons. Christina, who had returned only minutes before, walked to Arizona's side. Both Mark and Lexie stood up and joined the huddle.

"She is stable now," Bailey began, "She lost a lot of blood. She is lucky to have gotten in when she did. But she's a fighter. God is she a fighter."

Bailey smiled brightly. She looked at the four people in front of her, infecting them with the glow. A wave of relief washed over the four. Everyone released the breath they had been holding. Smiles were exchanged among the friends.

"She is going to be okay," Bailey repeated.

"Can I see her?" Arizona asked as she turned back to Bailey and Hahn.

"Yes, Dr. Robbins," Bailey turned to the others, "Dr. Yang, Dr. Sloan, and Dr. Grey, Dr Hahn will answer any questions you may have. Arizona, come with me."

Bailey turned back through the door she came from with Arizona close behind. The two weaved through hallways, passing the nurse's station, radiology labs, and skills labs. They turned down another hall, leading to the Intensive Care Unit. The general surgeon came to a stop in front of a room halfway down the hall.

"Right in here," Bailey instructed opening the door.

As the door opened, Arizona was greeted by bright, white walls and ceiling. Machines on the far wall beeped and hummed, each in charge of checking vital signs. The bed in the middle of the room held the woman she had come to see.

The woman in the bed looked nothing like the Calliope Arizona knew. Arizona used to love watching Callie sleep; even when unconscious she was energetic and beautiful. But now, the woman in the bed was pale and lifeless.

As Arizona approached she noticed how bad Calliope was injured. Her arms were completely scratched and road-burned. The right side of her face was bruised. Her lips had a single long scratch reaching from her nose to her chin but it didn't appear deep enough to scar.

Arizona pulled a chair up next to the hospital bed and reached for Callie's hand. The blonde lovingly stroked the soft skin with her thumb, holding Cal's hand in between her own. She watched as Calliope's chest slowly moved up and down with each breath she took.

Tears began to fall from the blonde's eyes as she placed a kiss to her lover's hand. A deep sob shook her as she kissed Callie's hand again.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, "I'm so sorry."

Holding Calliope's hand, Arizona placed her head on the hospital bed. The white sheets below her absorbed the tears as they fell. She continued to stroke Callie's hand, allowing the rhythmic motion to lull her to sleep.

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**I'm soooo sorry how long it took to update. I have been flying around like a chicken with its head cut off... and I have had miserable writer's block. As always, reviews are very appreciated!**


	15. Chapter 15

The room slowly came into few as Calliope opened her eyes. The white walls washed her senses, almost blinding her. She squinted and turned her head away from the window, trying to give her eyes time to adjust. Callie was surprised to find a sleeping form in the chair next to her. Blonde locks spilled onto the hospital bed, covering the woman's face slightly. Callie resisted the urge to reach over and push them out of her view.

"Arizona," Cal said softly. Her mouth was dry and her voice was raspy from the anesthetics. The sleeping woman flinched a slightly at her name.

"Arizona," Callie repeated, this time a little bit more firm.

The blonde slowly opened her eyes as she began to process where she was and what happened. Once everything made sense, she immediately sat up. A red mark stretched across her forehead from the impression made by the hospital bed side bar. Callie chuckled lightly at the mark.

"Your forehead," Callie said, raising her finger.

Arizona raised her hand to her forehead and ran her fingers across her skin. She could feel the indent just above her eye.

"I guess I slept for a while," Arizona said humorously, returning Callie's smile.

Cal looked at Arizona, processing the woman in front of her, "You didn't have to stay."

"I know," Arizona quickly replied, reaching for Callie's hand. She squeezed it gently. Callie looked down at her hand then back at Arizona.

"Ari," she began, pausing to wait for Arizona to look up, "I'm sorry."

Arizona glanced to Callie's face, immediately getting lost in the brown orbs, "Me too."

The woman stared each other in silence. The lack of conversation was peaceful and relaxing. Callie could feel her eyes growing heavy again. She allowed her eyes to close as she took a deep breath.

"I love you," Cal whispered, opening her eyes to watch Arizona.

"I love you too," the blonde responded.

Callie smiled. Part of her expected Arizona to not even reply. She felt she didn't deserve Arizona's forgiveness.

"It's that easy?" Callie asked.

Arizona smirked and nodded, "For now, yes."

Arizona knew that they would have to deal with everything eventually; she knew that their relationship would still be tested in the future. But she couldn't bring herself to leave Callie, nor did she want to. She realized that a challenged life with Callie was better than a life without her.

Callie continued to stare at the blonde, her smile growing wider, "I know it is totally moment ruining and all sorts of cliché to ask but can you come up here and kiss me? I can't reach you."

Arizona laughed and immediately stood up. She cupped Callie's cheek, rubbing her thumb across her skin gently. Callie leaned into the touch, allowing her eyes to flutter close. The blonde softly pressed her lips to Callie's, trying to avoid contact with the gash that stretched across the Latina's lips.

Callie's hand trembled as she kissed Arizona. Cal felt overwhelmed with emotion. She parted her lips, trying to deepen the kiss. She could sense Arizona's hesitancy; the blonde was afraid of hurting the woman in the bed. Calliope reached up and tangled her fingers in the blonde locks. Callie could feel a wave of relief wash over Arizona, causing her to smile into the kiss.

Someone cleared their throat in the door way. The noise quickly separated the women by the bed, both looking towards the doorway. Dr. Hahn stood in the structure, Callie's charts in her hands. Arizona's cheeks instantly flushed, as she avoided eye contact with the cardio-surgeon.

"I'm here to do a post-op check up," Erica announced as she walking over to Callie. Erica read the screens of the machines, checking vitals and making sure everything was on track. She jotted a few notes down in the binder.

"How are you feeling?" Erica asked as she lifted up Callie's hospital gown to check the wound.

"Tired, a little sore, but good," Callie answered. Erica nodded as she jotted additional notes down on her chart.

"Bailey or I will be back later to check up on you. The nurse will bring you lunch. Other than that, take it easy and page if you need anything," Erica said.

"Alright. Thanks Erica," Callie said.

"Yes, thank you," Arizona joined.

Erica nodded and walked out of the hospital room. She turned just before leaving, "Get some rest, Torres."

Arizona's cheeks reddened even more. She watched the doorway for a moment, making sure there would be no other intruders. She took a seat beside Callie.

"I'm going to get going too. Dr. Hahn is right. You need your rest," Arizona said.

Callie furrowed her eyebrows and a frown came across her face. Arizona smiled at Callie's pout.

"I don't want to go but you need your rest," Arizona reasoned, "Your body is under a great deal of stress."

"Will you just lay here with me until I fall asleep then?" Callie asked.

Arizona nodded and smiled. She walked around the bed, gently climbing in. The Latina rested her head against the blonde's shoulder. Arizona began running her fingers through her lover's hair.

Callie looked up at her and stared for a moment. She stretched forward as far as she could, capturing Arizona's lips for one last quick kiss. Callie broke away and returned her head to the blonde's shoulder.

"Fill me in on the past month," Callie instructed as she closed her eyes, enjoying the soothing strokes of Arizona's hand.

"Well," Arizona began, "I put a down payment on that apartment we looked at. I couldn't stand my old one anymore."

Callie chuckled, "It was pretty small."

"Yeah," Arizona paused as she thought about events of the past month, "I didn't get the puppy though. I still want you to help pick him out."

Callie took longer to answer, "Okay."

Arizona continued to massage Cal's scalp as she mentally scanned through memories. She was having a difficult time remembering anything. Most of her time was spent either at work or moping around her apartment.

"Uhm," Arizona said quietly, "They are building another research facility in honor of Wallace."

A light snore escaped from Callie, tugging a small grin to Arizona's lips. The blonde leaned down and placed a kiss to Cal's forehead. She continued to run her fingers through the dark locks.

"Goodnight, Calliope."

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**I hope you guys enjoy the update. I'm going to try and write more soon. As always, reviews are greatly enjoyed!**


	16. Chapter 16

Callie unconsciously snuggled closer to Arizona's chest. A small smile tugged at the blonde's lips as she continued to run her fingers through the Latina's hair. It had been three hours since Cal had fallen asleep again. Arizona could not bring herself to leave the sleeping woman, even though she was in desperate need of a hot shower. She was too wrapped up in watching her lover sleep, witnessing her eyes flutter and listening to the woman's light snore.

The woman below moved slightly, in a manner that looked like she was stretching. Arizona waited for her eyelids to open and reveal the stunning brown orbs.

"You're still here," Callie suddenly spoke, momentarily pausing Arizona's movements. Arizona smiled down at her girlfriend before resuming her previous activity.

"How do you feel?" the blonde asked.

A frown crossed Callie's features, "Hungry."

"Well," Arizona began, "Lucky for you, I sent Mark to the cafeteria to get you something to eat."

The blonde sat up and reached for the tray, retrieving the plastic container of cherry jell-o and a spoon. Taking a spoonful, Arizona guided the jell-o towards Callie's mouth.

"You are awesome," Callie said as she gently sat forward, taking the bite of jell-o.

"I know," Arizona smiled, as Callie ate the substance.

"Mhm," she paused as Arizona grabbed another spoonful, "Jell-o never tasted so good."

Arizona grinned at her girlfriend's reaction. She opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by a voice in the doorway.

"Mija?" a woman called as she bounded into the room, Carlos Torres following close behind. Immediately, Arizona knew the woman was Callie's mother. She was shorter and plumper than Calliope but wore the same face. Her eyes were the same brown and her smile was just as entrancing.

"Mama?" Calliope's eyes shot open as she turned her head to face the woman. Arizona jumped out the hospital bed, feeling like a teenager who had been caught sneaking around. Arizona took several steps back, inducing space between her and the other people in the room.

Carlos and his wife quickly approached the bed, paying no attention to the blonde. Words spilled out of their mouths at an alarming rate. Their phrases attacked their daughter in a manner Arizona could not understand. It soon dawned on her that the family's discussion was in fluent Spanish.

Arizona tried to make sense of the conversation that was going on in front of her. She picked up on words that she learned from a self-help Spanish book, none of which were helpful. Admitting defeat, Arizona just nodded her head at times she guessed it was necessary; she was completely clueless.

She studied the parents' mannerisms, watching as Carlos smacked his hands in a stern way. It was clear he was lecturing Callie on her actions.

"Yo se, yo se," Callie repeated as she rolled her eyes. The parents continued with their sermon.

Callie's eyes suddenly widened as realization dawned on her. She turned her head toward Arizona with an apologetic look, giggling slightly at the confusion written all over the blonde's features. Mr. and Mrs. Torres noticed Callie's attention focus elsewhere and turned to view Arizona.

Callie extended her hand towards her girlfriend in an effort to include her in the conversation. Arizona placed her hand in Callie's as the Latina pulled her closer.

"Mama," Callie looked from Arizona to Mrs. Torres, "This is Arizona Robbins, my girlfriend. Arizona, this is my mom."

"It is nice to meet you, Mrs. Torres," Arizona offered her hand to the woman across from her. The woman took her hand eagerly into her own.

"Nice to meet you," the woman said with a smile. Her words were coated with a thick accent, making the simple phrase difficult to understand. Arizona returned the smile as she let her hand fall.

An awkward silence fell upon the room and Arizona's nerves began to rise. She began to nibble on her bottom lip as she looked around the room. In an effort to calm the blonde, Callie reached up and retrieved the woman's hand once again. Arizona snapped out of her daze and looked to her lover.

Callie stared up at the blonde, recognizing Arizona's nervous ticks instantly. She tried to portray understanding as she made eye contact with her girlfriend.

"I, uh," Arizona stuttered, "I'm going to go. I'll be back in a little while."

The blonde began to lean down to place a kiss on Callie's forehead. The woman could feel the eye's of Cal's parents on her. Correcting her posture, Arizona stood up straight and grabbed Cal's hand. She gave it a light squeeze before letting go.

"I'll see you soon," Arizona said smiling down at her girlfriend, "Goodbye Mr. and Mrs. Torres."

As Arizona walked out of the room she could feel Calliope's disappointment.

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**I know you all probably hate me for taking so long to update and then updating with a short chapter. But I am going to try and make it up to you. My spring break is this week and I am going to try and finish this story in that week. I hope you can forgive me! **

**As always, reviews are very appreciated.**


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